Past England thoroughly Moeen Ali gave a stern warning to the organizers A hundredHe said that the players will take action if Indian franchises deliberately boycott Pakistani cricketers. Speaking on February 23, 2026, Moeen expressed deep concern over reports that the tournament’s newly privatized teams, especially those with IPL ties, may impose a “shadow ban” during the upcoming March auction. With 63 Pakistani players signed up for the project, the potential exclusion has sparked fierce debate over the integrity of English cricket’s flagship competition and the impact of private investment overseas.
“This kind of thing has been happening for centuries”: Moeen Ali
The dispute centers on four franchises recently acquired by IPL-related entities: Manchester Super Giants (RPSG), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR) and Sunrisers Leeds (Solar Group).
A number of media reports suggest an “unwritten rule”. These teams will not bid for Pakistani talent, following the precedent set by their parent IPL organisations. Moeen stressed that while players often remain silent to avoid “trouble” with powerful global owners who control leagues everywhere, the prospect of the trend entering the UK is unacceptable. He said the silence was due to fears that speaking out could affect the player’s career, but he said the solution was now because the current situation was “fair” and “terrible”.
“This kind of thing has been going on for ages, it’s time to address it because it’s not fair – it’s blatant discrimination against certain types of people. It’s horrible. It’s weird to me that nobody talks about it much. Especially at the top, nobody talks about it. People don’t talk about it, so it’s difficult. Anywhere in any league, if players speak up or say something, it affects their career. When you’re an older player like me, it matters a lot. you don’t.” Moeen reported this with reference to News18.
Also READ: ‘Shame’: England T20 World Cup 2026 captain Harry Brook slams potential Pakistan ban at The Hundred
ECB reminds all eight franchises of mandatory anti-discrimination duties
In response to mounting pressure, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reportedly taken the step of writing to all eight franchises to remind them of their mandatory anti-discrimination obligations. The tournament remains under the jurisdiction of the independent cricket regulator and the ECB has warned that any evidence of a ban based on nationality will be scrutinised.
\Moeen noted that while other countries may operate differently, the UK has a more robust system in place to address these concerns. Franchises now face a complex dilemma: protect their domestic political position or risk clashing with the UK’s strict regulatory and legal frameworks on fair employment and selection.
“I’m not sure it could happen in the UK – and I hope it doesn’t. It just shouldn’t happen, hopefully it won’t. We’ll just have to wait and see if it happens, but I think it would be a huge shame and I’m sure the ECB will definitely be on the lookout. There will be a group of players that will speak up. Any player will speak up. The concern for this sort of thing – whether they have Pakistani heritage or not – should speak up. Moeen added.
A united front against discrimination against Pakistani players per cent
Moeen Ali did not mince words when discussing the impact of these reports, predicting that a significant group of players would likely cause a public outcry if the snub were to happen. He stressed that the problem transcends heritage and urged all players with concerns to find their voice.
By speaking out, Moeen hopes to embolden other cricketers to prioritize fairness over professional security, especially as the news is still “very fresh” and the full extent of the franchise’s strategies are yet to be seen in the auction room. His sentence serves as a pre-emptive strike against attempts to bring foreign political prejudices into England’s domestic bow.
“Obviously the news is very new. So I haven’t had a chance to speak to anyone but most of the players will be on the same page. It would be really interesting to see what happens because I really think other countries can do what they want, obviously we don’t have control over these things but in the UK we have a bit more say about these things.” Moeen concluded.
